Clothespin



J y w. H. ROARK' 2,475,436

CLOTHESPIN Filed July 16, 1945 l/WE/YTO/ 6 WATER M Fae/m V i /6016K Wm Patented July 5, 1949 U'Nl TED STATES PATENT O F F l-CE UIJOTHESPIN Walter H. Roark, Bremertoiifwash.

Application July 16, 1945, Serial No. 605,208

1 Claim.

This invention relates to clothes pins, and has reference more particularly to clothes pins of the pincer type having two opposed jaw members that may be opened apart, against the holding action of a spring, by pressing the normally spaced outer end portions of the jaw members together; it being the principal object of this in vention to simplify and improve the construction of clothes pins of the type stated, particularly in the pivoting of the jaw members; in the character of the spring used to clamp the jaws together and its combination with and mode of application to the jaw members to serve both as a means for clamping the jaws together and as a means for holding the parts in assembled, 0perative relationship.

It is also an object of the invention to provide clothes pins or a non-corrosive material, nonrusting, such as plastic or glass, thus to avoid possible staining or discoloring of the clothes with which the pins are used.

Other objects of the invention reside in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clothes pin embodied by the present invention as applied to a clothes line in its intended use.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the clothes pin with jaw portions opened apart.

Fig. 3 is an edge View of the clothes pin.

Fig. l is a longitudinal section of the clothes pin taken in the plane of the jaw closing spring.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the parts of the present clothes pin in disassembled relationship.

Referring more in detail to the drawings The present clothes pin comprises the two complemental jaw forming members or bars I and 2, each preferably comprising a rigid bar of plastic, glass, or other material that will not rust, stain or absorb moisture. One of the bars, here designated as bar I, is formed across its inner face, medially of its ends, with a cylindrically rounded ridge 3, and the bar 2 is formed at a corresponding location with a transverse seat 4 within which the ridge 3 is pivotally seated. The jaw forming i end portions of the bars 5 and 2, which portions are designated by reference character 7, are adapted to close flatly together, and these sur-- faces are formed with registering, transverse channels 5 designed to receive the clothes line 6- 2 therein when the pin is applied thereto as shown in Fig. 1. Also, the jaws have beveled end surfaces, as at I, to facilitate their application to articles on a clothes line.

The inside surfaces of the outer end portions I5 of the two jaw forming bars are curved away from each other, thus to provide that these ends may be pressed toward each other to efiect the opening apart of the jaws as shown in Fig. 2.

The two bars I and 2 are held in assembled relationship by a connecting spring member ID. This member comprises a single piece of stainless spring wire, having a substantially straight medial portion llla that extends through alined openings II in the bars I and 2, which openings are located just back of the ridge 3 and seat 4, as best shown in Fig. 4. The opposite end portions of the spring wire are bent in the same direction to form legs lllb that extend along the outer surfaces of the bars I and 2 toward their jaw ends, then are formed with inturned feet Inc that are secured in or fitted tightly in sockets I2 in the bars. The spring is so formed that the legs iDb will exert opposedly acting clamping forces against the jaws to urge them toward each other and to effectively grip and hold a garment, or the like, on a line when the pin is applied as in Fig. 1.

The spring wire, by reason of its stiffness, its shape, and its mode of application to the bars l and 2, holds them in alinement, and in their assembled functional relationship,

A particular feature of the invention is found in the shape of the openings II through the bars. These are in the nature of slots through the pieces, lengthwise thereof to give the necessary clearance for the movement of the spring in the pivoting action of the jaw members.

Such clothes pins, made of plastic or glass do not cause stain on the garments, or become rusty or deteriorate. They may be made in various sizes and it is apparent that details might be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The assembly is simple, inexpensive and such pins are long lasting and effective. 1

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

A clothes pin comprising a pair of coextensive, complemental bars, one equipped intermediate its ends with a transverse pivot bearing and the other being equipped at a corresponding location with a transverse seat to pivotally contain said piv'ot bearing therein, thus to retain the liars 3 against relative endwise movement while permitting pivoting of one upon the other; said bars being formed with gripping jaws at one side of the pivot point and with normally diverging handle portions at the other side adapted to be pressed together to open the jaw portions apart; said handle portions having alined slots through the handle portions longitudinally thereof and there being outwardly opening sockets in the jaw portions aligned with the slots, and a spring wire extended through said slots to the outside of the bars, having its ends turned to extend closely along the bars and to press inwardly on the jaw portions.

WALTER H. ROARK.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following referen oes are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 57,977 Sanborn Sept. 11, 1866 175,478 Marshall Mar. 28, 1876 1,357,233 Hagelstein Nov. 2, 1920 1,489,923 Budd Apr. 8, 1924 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 22,306/35 Australia Apr. '7, 1936 

